


and from the ashes flowers bloom

by woopsforgotadam



Series: where we emphasize the importance of good teachers [5]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Learning to live again, world building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:40:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21764983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woopsforgotadam/pseuds/woopsforgotadam
Summary: Erza and Simon both don't like homework so they explore Daffodil village's local flower shop.
Relationships: Erza Scarlet & Simon, Jellal Fernandes & Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes & Simon
Series: where we emphasize the importance of good teachers [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567756
Kudos: 5





	and from the ashes flowers bloom

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh this is just. pure fluff. as well as establishing some world building and where certain characters are.

Two months ago, she lead a revolt that freed herself, her friends and many other people from enslavement. She saved her friend Jellal from torture. Two months ago Grandpa Rob had died so that she could live and Erza felt sorrow, rage, all those mixed up emotions pour from her soul until it manifested itself into magic. Tow months ago she gained some semblance of autonomy. But that was then. That was before they were freed, before they were all taken to different places around Fiore. It was before and it was terrible and hard but it paid off, in Erza's mind.

Now, she struggled very much with her writing. The pencil shook in her hands and her knuckles were white from how hard she gripped the utensil. Erza has never felt so...lost. And this, in her mind, _included_ when she was kidnapped. At least back then she _helped_ someone not be taken, it was Simon’s little sister. A worthy effort. Despite everything that followed. At least now they were free and alive.

“Relax your grip a bit Erza, it might break.” And she looked over to where Simon was watching her. His eyes were, as always, so very kind. His voice was patient and she felt a little relaxed. A smidge, her teacher would say. She tried to breathe out slowly but stuttered in her chest and she felt her face lit up in fire. She hated not being good at something and writing was one of them. Simon reached over and grabbed her hand and pencil and his fingers rubbed circles on the top of her hand. 

“Erza, it’s fine! You look like you’re hurting herself.” Simon’s tone was a bit hard but it still filled her with a certain warmth. “Listen, why don’t we take a break? We can go to that flower shop again. Mrs. Jones always has something cool.”

Her face lit up with a smile. No one really needed to try and convince her to leave her homework behind. She whipped her head around to look for Jellal before she remembered—he was in the councilor office right now. All three of them had different days where they would go and talk and learn something called healthy coping skills. Today it was Jellal’s turn.

“Alright, how much jewels do you have? Maybe we can get some flowers for the room, add something nice to it. I'm sure Jellal would like them, too.” Erza hopped off her seat and Simon followed her.

“I have twenty from helping Mr. Haji with his trash. It is nice to get paid for work.” Simon told her. He opened and held the door for her and Erza smiled brightly at him. 

“Thank you, and yeah isn’t it? Maybe Mrs. Jones will give us a discount if we clean some of the dirt around.” Erza wondered and Simon hummed. 

“Probably? She must get enough business as it is. My magic teacher told me that she’s a retired mage.”

Erza last eyes widened. “What?! Really? Wow,” Erza closed her eyes and imagined Mrs. Jones in her mind. “She must have been intimidating.” In her mind’s eyes, she could see the flower shopkeeper, Isley Jones as an intimidating figure on the battlefield. Erza wanted to be like that when she grew up, she decided. She just had to...get through school and learn core magic first. And join a guild. She wanted to join Fairy Tail, in memorial to Grandpa Rob but her magic teacher advised her to keep her options open.

(Little did her teacher know she was Erza Scarlet and whenever she was dead set on something, she got it done.)

(Unless that something was her homework. Then, all it took was Simon convincing her a trip around the village was enough.)

In the end, the pair were off. They stacked their homework stuff neatly on the table of the study in their group home and bounded off around. The supervision of their group home was somewhat lax: mostly because this was such a small village and everyone knew everyone. The influx of children from the Tower of Heaven was something all the current residents were aware of and for the most part, as far as Erza could tell, they were quite accepting of them. Older families nodded and waved at them and the local children seemed happy to have some playmates. Erza enjoyed games of Capture the Flag and tag with the locals. They were a little terrified of her, according to Simon and Jellal, because of her “”competitiveness””. Erza just thought she was the best at the games and therefore should always win.

It’s that simple.

Simon lightly grabbed her hand and lead her towards the flower shop, “Let’s go before Mrs. Jones gets grumpy.”

Erza laughed and by the time they made it across the village, she was the one pulling him. The door chimed when they opened it and Erza and Simon both greeted the owner. She stood behind the counter, scissors in one and a potted plant on the counter. She took off her goggles and gave them a look.

“Ah, Erza and Simon,” Mrs. Jones nodded at them. “Good afternoon you two. Where is the third of your trio?”

“Jellal is with the counselor,” Simon explained and he immediately inspected a plant, “what’s this one?”

“A venus fly trap, _do not_ put your hand near it.” Mrs. Jones said and Simon’s free hand flinched away while the one Erza still held tightened. She squeezed back and smiled at him. There was no need to be afraid, not here. He smiled shyly back at her.

“Her name is Paya,” Mrs. Jones added in explanation, “and she is a feisty little one. I wouldn’t recommend her to you guys.” Mrs. Jones put down the scissors and wiped her hands on her apron. “I’ll show you a fun bouquet for you two.”

“You don’t even know what it’s for!” Erza protested and Mrs. Jones rolled her eyes.

“Doesn’t matter, kiddo. Follow me.” Erza and Simon exchanged a glance and then, they followed her. There was no point in not doing what she said. Almost everyone in town knew that and the only person who ignored her was her son, Gerogi. He got quite an earful from it at times. Erza thought it was funny.

There was a vast array of brilliantly colored flowers that Mrs. Jones presented them with, tied together in a red ribbon. “Here, I made it in mind for brightening up places. I sent a similar bouquet to a friend of mine a while back. He didn’t throw them out, so it passed his high standards.” She shrugged.

Erza let go of Simon’s hand to grab it. She smelled it—it smelled so very sweet. It reminded her a bit of Rosemary village and sometimes remembering her life before the Tower was sad, but in this case, it made her brighten up. She smiled her best smile at the woman and back at Simon. “This would look great in the study! And it reminds me of Rosemary village.”

Simon smiled back at her. He took a sniff and she saw his eyes widen before they settled back to that warm look from before. “I think so too,” he patted the pocket of his pants and presented twenty jewels. “How’s this? And I can help clean up if it doesn’t cover.”

Mrs. Jones looked at the jewels and scoffed. “Please, this is worth half of that. Give me ten and then get out so I can finish sprucing.”

Simon grinned and handed her half of his jewels. “Thanks, Mrs. Jones!” He grabbed Erza’s hand. “Let’s try to beat Jellal back to the study—he should be done soon."

Erza nodded and the pair was ran off again. This time, Erza’s hand were full all the way. Though she still did outpace Simon—he was a little slower than her when it came to running. He never seemed to mind whenever she did this, though. And she was careful with the flowers because she was a little bit scared what would happen if Mrs. Jones knew she dropped them.

They were both winded when they returned back to the Group Home, the _Lucy Heartfilia Foundation_ plaque shined in the late afternoon sun as they approached the multi-story building that was their home. Simon, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her and she smiled at him and entered through. The head of the Home, a man named LuPone nodded at them when they entered but soon went back to whatever Adult Thing he was doing. He was kind of distant to the children, but he worked hard and all the teachers for Magic went through him first before they could teach and Erza knew her teachers were really smart (even if they assigned stupid things like homework) so he must be smart, too.

Simon and Erza bounded up the stairs to the first floor where the study was. Both of them were delighted to see Jellal already there. Even if they did not beat him there, it was good to see him. “Jellal!” Erza ran over to him, “Look what Mrs. Jones gave me and Simon. Well, we bought it. But still!”

Jellal looked up from his book and at the bouquet. A smile grew on his face, “Wow, those are beautiful.”

“It only cost ten jewels!” Simon said. “And she has a feisty plant named Paya, but she wouldn’t let us buy her.”

“It’s a trap for flies.” Erza informed Jellal.

Jellal smiled at the two and Erza was happy to see him be so relaxed. Sometimes are the councilor meetings, there was a lingering sadness or even numbness that they all felt. Erza knew she felt it as well. A lot of the other kids around felt the same when it came to it, but it always taught them a lot as well. And how to deal with those feelings. It was always very informative to Erza, who did like to learn, even if unlike Jellal, she did not enjoy her homework.

(Why was it called that anyway? She lived at her school basically! It should be called WorkWork and she planned to inform her teachers of that tomorrow.)

“By the way,” Jellal said and he shuffled out of his chair and placed his hands on his hips, “you two skived off homework again!”

“I was waiting for that.” Simon told Jelall and he looked at Erza, “We can’t always escape Jellal.”

Erza sighed. “Even after we presented him with flowers.”

“I guess he isn’t easily bribed.” Simon added and the pair of them laughed. Jelall shook his head and tried to hide his smile but Erza caught it anyway.

“Let’s decorate the room with them and then I will finish my WorkWork.” Erza informed them. “Mrs. Jones said that windowed sunlight is always best for bought flowers, so let’s get a vase and some water.”

“Do they have vases here?” Jellal wondered and the three of them looked around the room.

There was no vase here, sadly. Simon went to go ask Mr. LuPone if they did and Erza took the time to look at each of the flowers. She was somewhat aware of there being a flower language, but what it was, she had no idea. Did that mean flowers could talk? If they could, that would be amazing. It would explain what Mrs. Jones meant when she said that Paya was feisty. Erza put that on her to-do list after her WorkWork, look up the flower language.

“What are you thinking about, Erza?” Jellal asked.

“The flower language.” She told him and he nodded at her.

“I wonder if there is a secret message in the flowers, but I think they just look nice together. It looks fun.” Jellal said and Erza nodded.

“That’s what Mrs. Jone said, that it’s a fun bouquet.” Erza told him. “I hope that they dance or something.”

Jellal snorted at that but not in an unkind way. Sometimes Erza wondered if he somehow forgot the ability to laugh our loud. Erza knew that without Simon or Jellal with her, she may have forgotten how to do that. But that was why the three of them worked so well, even back in the Tower. They were able to keep each other somewhat light amidst all of the darkness. Grandpa Rob said that was one of her specialties as well. Erza was happy for that because she wanted to not just survive but live as well. Her counselor told her that they were going to work so that Erza could live freely: and it seemed that she was beginning that process. Jellal opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Simon bolted in and said, “Found a vase replacement!”

Erza turned and what Simon held in his hands: a clear cup. “That’s not a flower vase!”

“Nah, but Mr. LuPone said we don’t have any. He said he’d order some for next week, but for now, we have this!” Simon looked proud and Erza smiled.

“Good job, Simon.” Jellal stepped forward. “Let’s go put water in it and watch the flowers dance!”

In the end, the flowers did not dance or speak, even after Erza and Simon completed their WorkWork with the encouragement of Jellal. But, when the wind blew softly in the room from the window, they shifted together in the orange sun and Erza thought that was good enough. The colors all blended together in the window pane and the sight was beautiful anyway. The oranges and pinks of the sky looked so peaceful with the bouquet's many colors.

Besides, she could get her dancing flowers at some point. She could pester Mrs. Jones about it until she revealed how to make them dance.


End file.
